Starship TroopersUpon graduating school, Johnny Rico volunteers for the Mobile Infantry to do his Federal Service. Far from having patriotic motives, Johnny has joined the infantry to win the heart of his girlfriend,... View more >

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Reviews Summary

Please Note: Reader Reviews are submitted by the readers of The BigScreen Cinema Guide and represent their own personal opinions regarding this movie, and do not represent the views of The BigScreen Cinema Guide, or any of its associated entities.

by Tim Jandt

Jan 25, 2000

Starship Troopers is a bad movie. I mean, a really, really, bad movie. Not only does it cross the line of bad taste when it comes to blood, gore and body parts shown on the screen, it blissfully jumps over that line, apparently unaware that the movie trailers appeal to an audience of fivee to fifteen year olds (of which I saw many in the theatre). Looking past the appalling site of overdone violence, we are left with a movie with a thin plot at best, no strong lead characters, a blatant disregard for physics, and a very obvious Naziesque theme. That being said, onto the review:

The movie starts with a propaganda message from the Federation (who's logo bears a *STRONG* resemblance to a Nazi German Eagle), urging the populace to go off and fight the bugs, who are attempting to destroy earth. The film shows large rallies with young children in attendance, pledging allegiance to the federation (again, sound familiar?). As the movie progresses, we are shown terror tactic training, as a drill sargeant very graphically compound fractures one recruits arm, and throws a knife through another's hand. Eventually, the recruits embark on a journey to a location two thirds of the way across the Milky Way galaxy, to fight the bugs on their home planet. As our faster than light travelling "heroes" arrive on planet, they drop onto the planet, and burst out of their craft brandishing... "What?" you say, "Laser Beam weapons? Sonic Weapons? Phasers? Photon Cannons?". Nope, they hop out brandishing good old 1997 machine guns, pump action rifles, and tactical nuclear weapons! I guess a lot of physics money R&D went into travel and not weaponry. As the assault begins, our group of troopers are seen walking in a straight line through a box canyon. Two members of the group notice rocks slipping and falling above them, and one even sees a streak fly by, but disregards it as nothing. This of course, leads to more massive carnage, blood shed, and graphic depictions of limbs and heads being ripped and severed from their bodies. Again, I see that military tactics in the future must have evolved at about the same pace as their weapons! I have tried very hard not to step on and spoil the plot with this review, but given it's non-existence, I may have anyway. I could go on for pages ripping this movie apart, but don't want to bore you too badly.

In short, I felt as if I were subjected to a mix between a pro-Nazi war film, a drivers education accident scene film, and a complete blank screen (the plot, of course). I wouldn't recommend this movie to anyone, anywhere, under any circumstance.

My .02

by Cheryl A. Campbell

Jan 25, 2000

I thought this movie was great. It has some FANTASTIC special effects. If it doesn't get nominated for an Oscar in the special effects catagory, I would be very surprised! It has some violent and gory scenes not suitablefor very young children but all-in-all, it was very entertaining and I would go see it again and I would say this may be the best movie of the year.

by Jason Buk

Jan 25, 2000

I suppose there can only be one explanation for the movie "Starship Troopers." It must have been a 'typo.' The screenwriter's resume must have said he was 'artistic' when it was supposed to say he was 'autistic.' That is the only way I can imagine the ONE movie which I have patiently waited to see for over a year now, could be SO horribly bad. Maybe it was my fault for reading (and loving) the book, but I have not been so badly disappointed in a long time. Just so you know, I'm not a Moron. I do have pretty good taste in Movies. This is the first time I've posted a review of one though. I was moved to try and warn other people out there who have yet to waste their $6.50.I don't want to discourage everyone from seeing this movie. If you loved "Free Willie Three" or any of the those stupid Hallmark Specials on TV, this may be just the ticket for your evening. Good Luck. (And don't say the rest of you weren't warned.)

by Jeff Katsulis

Jan 25, 2000

This movie wasn't the best sci-fi movie, but it is definitely worth seeing. The special effects are some of the best I have ever seen. The story is stupid, but still very entertaining. All the performers do adequate jobs with their parts. They make this movie fun, which is what it is supposed to be. My only complaint is that it was too long. It could have taken away about 10 or 15 minutes.

by Hardlec

Jan 25, 2000

Most movies based on novels do not compare favorably to the novel. This is especially true of a novel written almost 30 years ago and never intended to be made into a movie. There is a lot the movie leaves unstated. There is a lot the movie states more clearly than the novel. Rites of passage become a test of survival. The pain of innocence lost. The Brutal reality of war. It would have been a bit more faithful to the book if the concept of citizenship had not been lampooned. To serve and sacrifice to earn civil rights is not so outrageous a concept. The movie is fun, fast, and grabs your intrest from the first frame. The special effects are so good, they are not noticed. No rubber suits with visable zippers, or computer generated dinosaurs with visable, jagged outlines. Expect to have your emotions challenged, as well as your mind.

By the way: Doogie Howser plays an intelligence officer, and his performance is chilling.

by Geggers

Jan 25, 2000

This movie is worth seeing at the theater in order to get the full effect of the special effects. Although the book has better character and plot development, the movie is still entertaining and a good way to spend a week night. A word of caution, this movie is not really appopriate for children.

by Jason Whyte

Jan 25, 2000

"Starship Troopers" is a film that defines the term "great fun". Preposterous, joyous and frequently gory, the movie is just the slam bang excitement that audiences like myself and everyone are looking for. Don't get too excited, though, the movie has none of the charm and spirit that made "Star Wars" the classic it is today.

"Starship Troopers" is just a trashingly enjoyable fun house picture that is set sometime in the future, where big bugs are out to destroy earth and all its inhabitants. So, let us dispatch the Mobie Infantry out to stop them at their home planet! The bugs themselves are miraculous looking contraptions, they are sleek yet leggy, and can stab you with one of its legs before you know it. The ones I am talking about are the main attraction, almost fifteen feet high. But there are bigger, fire breathing beasts that are fairly tough, small little bettlebugs, and flying arachnids! What a contest!

So how do you kill these things? My guess going into the movie was lasers, digital weaponry and the like, yet instead of those high tech gadgetry the only defense is 1997 machine guns, shotguns, and nukes. For reasons only known to the troopers, these guns never run out of ammunition, a pleasuable convienence in comparison to today's guns which hold, let's say, 150 rounds of ammo. Anyways, the best way to take a bug is to pelt them on the legs with bullets, if you can't reach the nerve center first. And there are thousands and thousands of them, which does not seem to take a liking to these troopers.

But the film partly kills itself with the plot, which involves a bunch of Aaron Spelling meets "Saved by the Bell" rejects: Johnny Rico (Casper Van Dien), the fearless graduate, Carmen (Denise Richards), the pilot starving girlfriend of Johnny, the tough babe Dizzy (Dina Meyer) who gets really friendly with Johnny, and other pointless characters that only chew up the 129 minute running time (121 without the end credits).

But the wildness takes over. "Starship Troopers" is a blast to watch visually, because director Paul Verhoeven, a master in excess (Robocop, Total Recall, Basic Instinct, Showgirls, among others) has sesoned this fall blockbusterwith his trademark gore. I'm talking about faces getting caved in with bullets, heads chopped off, limbs removed, brains being sucked out, stomachs being dismembered, and just about anything grisly you can think of.

And the special effects are truly oscar worthy, from the bugs to the spaceships, the explosions to the jets, everything is visually exciting. If only the spirit of moviemaking was in line, we would truly have something. Instead, it is just a very good timewaster.

Grade: B

Tech Review:

Picture: 5 A beautiful, real looking picture with some startling colors that really shock. A treat for the eyes.

Sound: 4 Although I was one of the lucky ones to see this in SDDS, the thunder effect of all of this noise is missing. But the bass and the effective use of the split surrounds in SDDS is very well done. But it isn't loud enough.

Photography: 2 For reasons known only to Verhoeven, he opted against Panavision or Super 35 and settled for a less intriguing 1.85:1 frame, which is noticeable all throughout the movie. Poor closeups and angles that would have worked much better in scope. Don't even bother looking for the widescreen video or disc. It isn't worth it.

by Cari

Jan 25, 2000

This movie was really not the best to pay for. It had alot of bloody graphic displays that are not appealing at any age. For younger children, I would advise against it, they see enough on TV to give them nightmares, much less have them about bugs taking over the planets. Three of us went, my son 16, my husband and myself. The guys are sci-fi nuts and thought that this would be one that would rate up there with the StarWars, they were terribly disappointed. If you really want to waste your money on seeing it wait till you can rent it. That way you are not wasting as much of your hard earned money.

by Chris Bartz

Jan 25, 2000

FUN (but gorey)! Starship Troopers is the Pulp Fiction of science fiction. It has a funky, hip, retro, fifties, science fiction feel but with special effects that are ahead of its time. A fascinating view of the future. A society with little privacy, no sexual or cultural discrimination, and apparently no better weapons to use against giant (spelled H-U-G-E) bugs than good old-fashioned bullets. The purposely air-headed teenage cast are all pretty to look at. And if this is the Pulp Fiction of science fiction, then Doogie Howser is the next John Travolta.

This is the first (and probably the last) commentary on a movie I felt compelled to write. I never read the book so I didn't go in with any expectations. I was so entertained I didn't care about the weak plot. I think that is what the creators of this film were trying to achieve. No redeeming social value. Go see it! Worth $6.50 and then some. Attend a theater with a decent sound system.

by K. Leon

Jan 25, 2000

I was waiting for over six months for this movie to come out. In that time I re-read the book. As normal - the movie will never do justice to the book - (the imagination can do more than film). But it does keep in line withthe book to a certain extent.

The only thing that I did not like about the movie were the promotional clips (futuristic TV adds). They could have done away with them and just let the movie flow. But the movie did have some very good scenes. I would not recommend that you take children to see this show (there is a lot of gore, dismemberment, and violence - my wife only saw half the show, she was hidding in my shoulder the other half.

If you are a science fiction fan - you will probably enjoy the show (unless you don't like violence). This is not going to be an academy award winner. But it is a good way to spend an evening or afternoon. You may decide to go to the early show and get the matinee price (this movie is worth the full price, but if I can save a couple of bucks by going early I do).

The actors could use some more training in acting abilities, but I don't believe they ever intended this show to be the Best Picture. So the inability of the actors does go well with how the movie being filmed.

Once again. This movie is an enjoyable time if you are a science fiction fan.

by Gary Schmidt

Jan 25, 2000

Oh, boy, is this a BAD movie. Countless times I rolled my eyes in disbelief. Plot holes big enough to drive a semi truck through. The bugs were realistic looking and somewhat scary. But do not trust the trailers on how good this movie is, nor by how much action there is battling the bugs. The battle scenes are pretty short and separated by some extremely long, drawn out, totally useless scenes. There are so many things in this movie that are incredibly stupid......its just a ripoff. Like those futuristic looking football uniforms and shiny silver football. Ooooooo! Or those futuristic looking coffee mugs. Ahhhhhhh! Additionally, I kept thinking, instead of sending in the infantry to fight the bugs, and losing thousands of men and women (graphically displayed I might add), why not just fly over with some fighter jets and bomb them from the air? Put away those lousy WW2 machine guns that have very little effect on the bugs and drop some bombs! They actually try that once, and all the bugs were killed, and no one was injured in the process. But do they stick to that strategy? Nope. The very next attack....back at them with the infantry! I was so disappointed and bored in this movie I wanted to scream. This is the worst movie I've seen all year. Some of the visual effects are well done, but some of the visual effects are overdone (people without limbs several times... I mean, wouldn't they have invented artificial limbs in the future?!) I hope you don't make the mistake I did and watch this movie. Don't see it at the theater, dont' rent it, and don't watch it on tv. It is simply that bad.

* out of *****

by pete wendt

Jan 25, 2000

The special effects always seem to be improving, but reality of the movies always seem to lack. eg. A million to one odds.... Woman walking along smiling and talking after having a huge wound. People pulling a bug that probably would weigh something equivalent to a building!

by Terry Crouse

Jan 25, 2000

I have never laughed so hard during an action movie. Yes, the storyline is incredibly-stupid, ridiculous, moronic, or whatever adjective you want to use, but that's precisely the point. You can't possibly go into a movie about "war with the bugs" expecting it to be serious, or even for its makers to *expect* it to be taken seriously. The bottom line -- I went into this movie expecting pure outrageousness, and this movie ever delivered -- BIG TIME!

This is an *exceptionally* well-made movie. The action is practically non-stop, the combat sequences mind-numbing, and the visual effects are nothing less than spellbinding. I know that a lot of people may have trouble sitting back and laughing at a movie which mutilates its cast by the dozens, but if you can appreciate that no one *actually* died during the making of this movie (just a lot of really great effects shots), you should enjoy this one tremendously, perhaps even finding it the most original and inspired movie in a long, long time.

by Joe Lukaszewicz

Jan 25, 2000

I thought this movie was great!!! The special effects were awesome and I love the shower scene.

by Z-Man 9000

Jan 25, 2000

Plot: After a race of alien Bugs sends a meteorite to Earth that wipes out a major city, we go to war with the Bugs. That really says it all.

Critique: If this movie had been made in the fifties or sixties, people would be laughing their heads off. The storyline is pretty thin, and the lines are kind of silly. But since it has special effects, it becomes "campy". I'm usually not a fan of "camp", but it's great here. There's dialouge ("You shoot bugs good, Rico." "They sucked his brains out.") that would sound stupid in a different movie, but it's very funny in this one. I especially loved the quasi-humorous "news" in between scenes. I really liked "Starship Troopers", and if you don't, go join the Federation or something.

Additional: "Starship Troopers" is very similar to "Star Wars" in many respects. They both start out in the middle of a conflict (vs. the Bugs, vs. the Empire), they both have some unknown kid become the Big Hero (Johnny Rico, Luke Skywalker), and, without giving away too much, the ending leaves a lot open for a sequel.

"Ticket" Grade: I gave this movie a "See Now!" If you wait for home video you'll kick yourself. "Starship Troopers" is a action, quasi-comedy movie with great special effects.

Letter Grade: A

-Z-Man 9000, writer of this critique, wants you to join the Federation. Sure, they're democracy-hatin' bug-stompin' Nazi-wannabes, but they get these really cool guns.

The great galactical bug-hunt is on, and you, the viewer joins a rag-tag group of gung-ho high-school graduates on a trek across our galaxy to take on these deadly foes.

Starring Casper Van Dien, Dina Meyer, Denise Richards, Jake Busey, and Neil Patrick Harris, this movie takes place in a future society where an enemy on the other side of the galaxy has found that we exist, and is trying to eliminate us by sending large meteors at the planet Earth.

Not content to let these aliens throw rocks at us forever, we (Earth) declare war on the aliens. Joining the army and fighting in this war is a glamourous position, and one that our high-school students don't think too hard about. In fact one of them signs up just because his girlfriend signs up. Completely unaware of the dangers that he faces.

The movie is somewhat slow to build into what we all came to see, an all-out bug-hunt. We are introduced to a variety of characters, most of which we will see later in the film, sometimes in one piece, sometimes not.

The war scenes are very bloody and graphic. Nothing is left to the imagination. The bugs (puppets or computer generated images) are well done. They prove to be a merciless enemy. But think of them like worker bees, or ants. They do not appear to think or plan on their own. There is something else out there controlling the actions of these bugs.

The whole premise is completely over-the-top and completely unbelievable, but you don't go to this type of movie thinking that it's a true story. Alien beetles shooting plasma goo out of their butts into space..... Come on.

The movie was OK for what it was. If I were you, I wouldn't go out of my way to see it because it has no redeeming value, but it was kind of fun. Neil Patrick Harris' character was the most annoying in my opinion.

Also, what was with that naked co-ed shower scene...Was that really necessary?

Copyright 1997 - Ron Higgins No unauthorized publication or distribution without the consent of Ron Higgins.

by John Casper

Jan 25, 2000

I regreted paying to see this movie. I probably wouldn't have seen it if someone payed me. First of all, the acting was horrendous. The movie itself was very predictable and started off very slow. The ending, although somewhat surprising, was boorish and ho-hum. The special effects weren't even that great. This might be worth a rental, but otherwise: keep away!

John Casper casp@execpc.com

by Richard LaFreniere

Jan 25, 2000

Throughout our lives, we watch one space movie after another, but no space adventure movie can come close to Starship Troopers. This is the ultimate gorey, sexy, and joy-ride edge of your seat thriller you are going to getall year. The story line is pretty simple. A bunch of graduate students sign up for the Federal Service which is at war with a Bug race across the galaxy. The new recruits go through intense training on Earth before heading offin their seperate career fields. The Air guys and the Fighting guys. The main character of this film is "Johnny". He is eventually promoted to mission commandant and Lieutenant, struggles with the loss of his family to a asteroid send by the bugs, and several of his friends killed (very nicely) during the course of the film. He has it pretty hard! but, in the end, the good guys always win. One major blooper I noticed...Star Trek's Warp Drive propells the Enterprise at speeds far exceding light, and even though this is a Sci-Fi film, it seems odd that a ship using Warp Drive can travel 70,000+ light years in a matter of seconds. That doesent happen; sci-fi or not. The Special Effects were plain awesome. All the guts, the weapons, and the bug animations were so well done I couldn't tell what was real and what was done on the computer (bug wise). Go see this movie NOW! don't wait for rental, you won't be sorry you paid for this one!

by JEREMY WILSON

Jan 25, 2000

I PERSONALLY THOUGHT THAT THIS MOVIE CONTAINED A BASIC PLOT, WITH A GOOD CAST OF CHARACTERS, THAT WERE NOT TO FULL OF THEMSELVES AND HAD A BASIC ROLE. THE WORST THING ABOUT IT WAS THE ENDING, AND THE COED NAKED SHOWER SCENE HOWEVER ENJOYABLE, IT WAS ALSO PRETTY DISTASTEFUL. BUT IT IS STILL ONE OF THE BEST LATELY, SO GO SEE IT, YOU WILL ENJOY IT VERY MUCH IF YOU ARE THE KIND THAT LIKES SCIENCE FICTION AND ADVENTURE.

by Mike

Jan 25, 2000

I loved it! I haven't seen a movie in a while that I couldn't wait to go back to see it! But two days later I found myself back in the movies watching it again! It's a must see if you like action, horror, comedy!

by Ryan Martinez

Jan 25, 2000

I mean, it was one of the best sci-fi movies around, easily up there with Alien and other movies like that!

First of all....I didn't like it. I thought the film was poorly done. It was like watching a TV movie that was banished to be seen only on the late-night Sci-fi channel. I found no redeeming quality and no redeeming reason to watch this movie (outside of the fact that I had ordered a large popcorn and soda and was now committed to finishing them both.) This film seemed to attract the younger audience, but under no circumstances should anyone ever take a kid to go see this film. The blood and gore is overwhelming. I think any kid who sees this film is going to end up being an exterminator someday. You will a great deal of comments about the special effects, well I thought they weren't anything special....okay another space ship blows up into a thousand pieces...big deal. I think the director of this film must have been trying to make a point about something...maybe height...because literally every person killed in the film ended up being split (or ripped) in half. Bottom line....if you want to see gore....wait two more years and he may be President.

by Clem M Fumarate

Jan 25, 2000

It is very surprising that a movie like this was ever made, especially in this day and age. Don't be fooled -- despite what you may have seen and heard, "Starship Troopers" is not a mere 'sci-fi' or 'action' flick. It is a movie fundamentally about war -- that is to say, a war movie with a most unique perspective.

All of the recent war movies you may have seen have dealt with the horror and brutality of war, the senselessness, heartless slaughter of it all: "Full Metal Jacket," "Platoon," "Gettysburg," "Apocalypse Now," "Casualties of War," "A Bridge Too Far" -- you name it. However, here's a war movie which presents us with the ideal war, which is fought by ideal warriors in an ideal militaristic society. Here is a movie which actually GLORIFIES war, yet does so without ignoring the realities involved -- namely, the reality that in war, life is cheap, as soldiers are mutilated by the hundreds of thousands in ways which will make you puke. Such gut-wrenching sacrifice is never questioned in this movie, not by the soldiers, the civilians, or by anyone. I can't remember ever seeing a movie with such steadfast devotion to the cause of war. Although, please understand, this is not just ANY war. This is a BUG WAR! And anyone familiar with the pestilent nature of these vile creatures understands that in a war with bugs, there is no room for any holding-back -- these things must be killed with EXTREME prejudice!

And therein lies the beauty of this movie. We all know how crazy this whole scenario is, going off to distant planets to fight spittle-firing, asteroid-chucking bugs. It sounds like something a bunch of kindergarteners might have come up with. But you would never be able to tell it by the serious tone of the characters -- nothing going on in the movie seems like anything that should be taken lightly to them. The only thing that matters is killing those massive bugs and killing them as fast and as much as possible! And yet, somehow despite all of this, you can't help but laugh hysterically, with the remarkable realization that this movie is SUPPOSED to be laughed at, not in spite of, but primarily BECAUSE of its intensity.

I have gone over this movie countless times in detail, and as yet I cannot think of a single thing that failed to impress me about this movie. Even the shower scene, however inappropriate it may seem, seems to work in this movie, if for no other reason than to demonstrate that these soldiers are so extremely dedicated to the cause at hand, they don't even notice when their opposite-sex counterparts are standing around them butt-naked, though WE certainly do!

"Starship Troopers" is an amazing triumph of filmmaking, much in the same manner as "2001" was three decades earlier. While these may be two completely different kinds of "space odysseys," they provoke a similar polarized response -- either to be loved or hated, with little in between. Perhaps, several years down the road, "Troopers" will attain the same sort of revered status. I, for one, think it will.

by Brandon273

Jan 25, 2000

What would you do if there was an 18-foot arachnid warrior standing behind you, nothing it would already have you in its tremendously powerful jaws and snap you in half beforee you could say "NO!!!!!!". This is the kind of movie this is, a high-paced extremley violent war movie. The visual effects are stunning and the charcacters are like cardboard cut-outs. The only thing missing in this movie,well nothing is missing in this movie except for a couple of plot-holes and some jitterey script. Other than that I found this movie extremley entertaining and not to mention a thrill ride.(I went to see the bugs, mostly) ***1/2 out of 4 stars

by ken

Jan 25, 2000

After reading the book several times, I knew they would never be able to be up to Heinlein's caliber, but I believe they did a very fine job. The action scenes are as good as any you are going to see in a sci-fi flick. The plot followed the book quite well with in the limits of trying to fit everything into two hours. Some of the best parts of the book were excluded I'm sure simply because Hollywood just couldn't figure out how to put them on the screen. All in all, at least as good as most of the movies taken from a clasic novel.

by BJ

Jan 25, 2000

Probably as good a treatment as you could get of Heinlein novel. Most mainstream reviewers (especially the lefties in places such as the Onion) completely misunderstood the thing. Verhoeven does a nice job of deconstructing Heinlein's cold-war love affair with benevolent military dictatorship. While the characters spout and act-out Heinlein neonazi/american revoultionary/rugged individualism rhetoric, the propaganda commercials deftly skewer the "We hate the bugs (i.e., communists)" mentality of the novel.

by Juho Ahola

Jan 25, 2000

Who ever rates this movie as a poor one, because of its extreme humour or unrealism, I must say, was not seeing the right movie. This movie is a must see for a person, who can understand sarcasm when he/she sees it.

We are in the future, and the earth is getting attacked by meteors, which are being sent from a bug planet, full of those nasty not-so-little things. The humans decide to do something about this, to be more exact, to launch an attack.

When I went to see the film, most of the people were enjoying the film, even clapping their hands after some extremely well done scenes or jokes. But I could not help hearing comments like "God, that's gross" or "That's so unrealistic". Those people were not in the right place.

The movie is ridiculous. It's exaggerated, very violent and the humour is harsh. But those are exactly the facts that make the movie so funny to watch, it is a parody or all the "ID4's" out there. At least that is how I see it.

SS Troopers is a must see for people like me, who are tired of seeing the same action movies again and again with different names, and are ready for something different, very extreme.

by Rashad Woods

Jan 25, 2000

I have read a lot of reviews about this movie. Let me be the first to say everyone is right when they say the acting stinks, there's horrible dialouge, and the actors try no depth to their characters. Kind of sounds like, "Batamn & Robin", huh? But unlike that disaster, the film's one saving grace is its action. YES!! this movie is fun!!! This blows away ID4! You should definetly see this in a theatre to get the experience of the special effects, (which are the BEST I've ever seen). There's really no plot, just the bugs vs us humans. Proof of how stupid it is: if we have advanced that far in the future, why do the soldiers carry assault weapons? Who cares? As long as you just sit back, let stuff get blown up and killed, you'll walk out of it having a great time.

"Starship Troopers" is a fun movie. It a Science fiction version of 1939 film "Beau Geste," about a group of troopers who battle bugs. Huge Bugs that could kill. I like the Bugs. They're scary. Espcially the one that shoots fire. Not much here, but I like the film.